1. Field of the Present Invention
The present invention relates generally to a display panel and a method of fabricating the same, and particularly to a flexible display panel and a method of fabricating the same.
2. Description of Related Art
With the progress in the optoelectronic techniques and the semiconductor manufacturing techniques, flat panel displays characterized by high definition, optimal space utilization, low power consumption, and no radiation have gradually tended to be the mainstream products of the market.
A flexible display panel featuring compactness, great impact endurance, flexibility, wearability, and portability has been one of the leading display panels at present. However, in the contemporary technology of forming the flexible display panel, how to form a thin-film-transistor (TFT) array on a flexible substrate is one of the main issues to be resolved.
FIG. 1A to FIG. 1E illustrate a method of fabricating a conventional flexible display panel. With reference to FIG. 1A, FIG. 1B, and FIG. 1C, a rigid substrate 100 is provided, and an organic adhesive material 110 is formed on the rigid substrate 100. A flexible substrate 120 is then disposed on the organic adhesive material 110, and the organic adhesive material 110 is cured by irradiation (e.g. ultraviolet irradiation), such that the flexible substrate 120 is adhered to the rigid substrate 100 through the organic adhesive material 110.
As indicated in FIG. 1D and FIG. 1E, after the flexible substrate 120 is adhered to the rigid substrate 100, a TFT array 130 is formed on the flexible substrate 120. The flexible substrate 120 is removed from the rigid substrate 100 after the TFT array 130 is formed.
Several conventional issues regarding the use of the organic adhesive material 110 are to be resolved. First, the TFT array (e.g. amorphous silicon TFT) is generally formed at a temperature reaching approximately 370° C. at most, whereas the maximum tolerable temperature of the existing organic adhesive material 110 ranges from about 200° C. to about 250° C. Hence, out-gassing phenomenon and decomposition of the organic adhesive material 110 due to pyrolysis and are likely to occur during fabrication of the TFT array 130, and thereby the flexible substrate 120 is warped. Second, the organic adhesive material 110 is vulnerable to chemical solvent, and thus the flexible substrate 120 is warped because of the chemical solvent used for fabricating the TFT array.
To enhance heat resistance and chemical resistance of the organic adhesive material 110, adequate inorganic powder is frequently doped into the organic adhesive material 110 according to the related art, which improves adhesion of the organic adhesive material 110 but causes difficulty in removing the flexible substrate 120 from the rigid substrate 100. As such, while the flexible substrate 120 is being removed from the rigid substrate 100, the TFT array 130 (shown in FIG. 1E) on the flexible substrate 120 is broken.
In addition to doping the inorganic powder into the organic adhesive material 110, photo-sensitive adhesive materials are also employed according to the related art. After fabrication of the TFT array, the photo-sensitive adhesive materials are cured by irradiation, such that the adhesive materials are no longer adhesive, and that the flexible substrate 120 can be removed with ease. However, the applicable photo-sensitive adhesive materials cannot be determined at one's preference because of limited varieties.